


Curiosity Killed the Cat

by HighVoltage225



Series: Mighty Nein Tower Shenanigans [2]
Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-11 00:34:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28462461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HighVoltage225/pseuds/HighVoltage225
Summary: Jester is bored one night in the tower. Fortunately, a certain archfey has a trick up his sleeve.
Relationships: Essek Thelyss/Caleb Widogast
Series: Mighty Nein Tower Shenanigans [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2012590
Comments: 4
Kudos: 78





	Curiosity Killed the Cat

**Author's Note:**

> Wow, I did not expect that much attention on Answer the Door. It left me flabbergasted. Since you all liked it so much, here's another installment in the Mighty Nein Tower Shenanigans. I've got a few more ideas for these, and I'll be rolling them out as soon as I can, hopefully at least one a month.

“I’m bored!” Jester groaned to the ceiling as she lay on the floor of her art studio in Caleb’s tower. A painting of the Nicodranas coastline sat half-finished on the canvas above her. Strewn about the room were various crumbs of muffins, cookies, cakes, and half-eaten bowls of ice cream. Hearing the tiny pattering of feet from somewhere nearby, she asked, “What do you think I should do, Sprinkle?” No helpful advice came her way, merely a hiss and scurrying away of tiny feet. Chuckling, Jester resumed staring at the ceiling until a familiar voice made her jump.

“Did someone say they’re bored?” The playful tone emerged from the other room. Jester immediately bolted up to her feet, letting out a shriek.

“Traveler!” She bounded out of the studio and into the sitting room, where a familiar red-haired figure sat perched in one of the velvety chairs, his green cloak pooling around him. His eyes met hers with a mischievous twinkle as he sipped on some wine. Jester plopped herself in the chair across from him, grinning from ear to ear. “What are you doing here? How did you get in?”

The Traveler chuckled and took another sip from his wine. “Well technically I’m not here. Your wizard friend somehow made this tower in such a way that I can’t enter. Well, I mean I can, but that’s too much work.” The Traveler scoffed as he swirled the crimson liquid. “It’s merely a projection of myself. About as real as a painting.” To emphasize his point, he tossed his half-full glass to the ground, where it landed without a sound, its contents unspilled.

“As for what I’m doing here,” he continued. “Well I couldn’t just leave my favorite cleric on her own, especially when she’s bored.” Jester giggled at that, nodding eagerly. “And I remember how much fun you had when you first arrived, and I figured you were probably tapped out for the day. So consider this my little present. Have fun.” With that, the Traveler raised his hand to his lips and blew. 

Emerald smoke drifted off his palm, encircling the tiefling until, with an audible _pop_ , she disappeared, and in her place sat a bright blue calico cat. The Traveler gestured towards the aqueduct hole and Cat-Jester followed his gesture eagerly. She looked back to grin at him, only to realize he had vanished, although a faint chuckling hung in the air.

Ecstatic, Cat-Jester launched herself into the tunnels, immediately becoming lost in the maze. Despite having done this before, it seemed as though all the paths had changed, making for a new and exciting experience. She didn’t know how long she’d been running around before she heard Fjord’s familiar drawl echoing down the tunnels. Curious, she began following it, getting lost more than once. As Fjord kept talking Jester managed to pick up the other half of the conversation, with Caleb’s Zemnian accent trickling down the tunnels to join Fjord’s. 

Jester finally managed to find where she was trying to go, catching what seemed to be the tail-end of Fjord and Caleb’s conversation, as Caleb was mentioning that Vess couldn’t get into the tower. She let out a small _mrow_ of curiosity, but it went unnoticed as she scrunched down in the aqueduct, her azure eyes barely peeking over the lip.

As the door shut, Caleb stood with his back to it before talking to the seemingly empty room. “This is why _I_ open the door.” In response, a figure suddenly appeared on the bed and sighed.

“Ugh, I thought he’d never leave!” the figure exclaimed. Cat-Jester blinked in astonishment. While she couldn’t see the figure’s face, she recognized the voice, paired with the purple skin and white hair. 

Why was Essek here? Were Caleb and Essek dating? Were they having sex? Why was Fjord here? Were Caleb and Essek _and_ Fjord having sex?

As all these thoughts raced through her mind, a warm chuckle met Jester’s ear. “Oh dear. It seems we’re out of time.” With another _pop_ , Jester reverted to her tiefling form, plummeting to the ground below. She landed in a heap and lay there for a moment, a soft _ow_ emerging from the pile of fabric. Sitting up, her pain was immediately forgotten as both Essek and Caleb stared at her with looks of shock on their face. Jester wasted no time and immediately launched into questions.

“Oh my god, Essek! Why are you here? Why are you in Caleb’s bedroom? Are you two dating? Were you having sex? Why was Fjord in here? Was he having sex with you guys?” Her voice continually rose in pitch as her questions kept coming.

“Jester!” Caleb interrupted. He paused before continuing, letting out a sigh as she clammed up. “Essek is here because I’ve asked him to be.”

“Because you’re dating?”

Caleb paused, as if trying to decide how to answer. “Yes, we are dating.” 

Jester immediately shrieked in delight as she hopped to her feet. “I knew it! How long has it been?”

“Two months, 8 days and,” Caleb looked up slightly, mouth moving as if he was doing math in his head. “3 hours.”

“Does everybody else know?”

“No, and we would like to keep it that way.”

“But why?” Jester whined.

“If I may,” Essek piped up, the first time he’d spoken since Jester had appeared. He scooted forward on the bed, his eyes shifted towards the floor. “To put it bluntly, you all are terrible at keeping secrets.” Jester let out a gasp of shock, but Essek continued. “Even though the war is over, tensions are still rather high, and if it were to get out that the Shadowhand to Leylas Krynn was in a romantic relationship with an outsider, and a Dwendalian to boot…” Essek’s gaze never left the floor, and his hands shook slightly as he clasped them together.

“Let’s just say that the Dynasty is currently in a delicate situation, and news of that type has the potential to shift the balance in a very negative way. Not to mention what the Den would say.” He went quiet after that, eyes still locked on the floor. Caleb moved to his side and sat on the bed, taking one of Essek’s hands in his own.

“So that is why we want to keep it a secret, for now at least.” Caleb said, finishing Essek’s train of thought. “And we’d appreciate it if you would refrain from telling anyone.”

“Oh of course of course of course.” Jester proclaimed. “You can count on me, promise!” She beamed at Essek as his eyes met hers, and he let out a small chuckle. A few moments of silence passed before Jester piped up again. “Wait, how did you get here? You told me you couldn’t leave the outpost.”

Essek looked away, like a kid caught lying. “Well, that was technically only half true. You know how Eiselcross tends to twist the magic used on it, especially teleportation spells. Well,” Essek sat up straighter, his eyes gleaming slightly. “A Dynasty team recently excavated part of a crash site and found what we believe to be a way to nullify those effects, allowing us to teleport.”

Jester nodded along, not really absorbing what he was saying. “Okay, but how does that get you here?”

Essek blushed. “I, uh, may have volunteered to test its effects. We are still refining pieces of the crystals, and they’re only good for a few uses. But they seem to work well enough.” He paused for a second before adding hastily, “Of course, it was too much to send in a message, and I was planning on showing you all when you arrived-”

“It’s okay, Essek.” Jester interrupted. “We know you wouldn’t hide things from us. Not anymore.” She put on her best serious face, the one Mama had used to scold her. She could barely hold it before cracking a smile at Essek’s look of fear.

As the clock struck 2, Caleb spoke up. “It’s getting rather late, Jester, and Essek and I are very tired. Would you mind?”

“Oh of course not, I’m so sorry.” Jester immediately turned and quickly went to the door, looking back at Caleb as her hand touched the handle. “You know Caleb, you never answered my question if you two were having sex.” She teased.

“Goodnight, Jester.” Caleb said, his face reddening slightly as he picked up Frumpkin and began to scritch him behind the ears.

“Okay, but if you need tips, let me know and I’ll ask Mama. She used to have this client who always came in and had her use this big fake di-”

“Goodnight!”

Jester giggled as she quickly opened the door, slipped through, and closed it behind her. A few moments later she heard laughter burst out, presumably from Essek at Caleb’s expense. Grinning to herself, Jester quickly made her way to the floor below. She paused at the door to Fjord’s room before passing it and entering hers, jumping as she saw the green-robed figure of the Traveler once more in the sitting room, swirling a fresh glass of wine.

“Did you have fun?” He asked, one long eyebrow raised.

“Absolutely! I ran around and around and around and got really lost, and then I found Caleb’s room and he was talking with Fjord, and then Essek was there, and they’re dating!” Jester rambled off about her experiences in rapid succession while the Traveler looked on, amused.

“Yes, yes, I’m well aware of the situation between those two lovebirds.” The Traveler responded with a grin.

“Wait, did you know he was here? Is that why I stopped being a cat in Caleb’s room?”

The Traveler chuckled, taking a sip. “Of course. I figured a little embarrassment would be good for them both. That’s what he gets for trying to keep me out of his tower.”


End file.
